Phucket Thailand

So I really do not know much about Phucket besides that it is a beautiful place, many movies are shot around its area, and it has a pretty funny name. I pretty much just want to visit this place because of the picture above. The rocks that stand tall out of the water are pretty insane, and to see them in real life would be awesome. From looking online, Phucket seems to be a place filled with wildlife and outdoor activities. It is pretty much my favorite type of place in the world, so why would I not want to visit this place?

Here is a link if you'd like to read more about Phucket: http://www.phuket.com/activities/

Capri, Italy

capri, a photo by anscotto on Flickr.

OK, so I do not have a lot to say about Capri except that I have already been there, and I took the picture above from a normal view point on the island. I would advise those who travel to Capri to bring a lot of money, as it is a tourist spot for the world and a lot of celebrities. 

Capri is famous for its beautiful waters, its "lover's arch," and the Blue Grotto. The water is stunning around the island, and often I find myself wanting to return to Capri while I'm in Italy. It is generally pretty easy since I live in Naples, Italy, and Capri is a short 35 min ferry ride. Since it is that easy,  I actually do go there at least twice a year, and I just tour the island. There is actually a lot to do, and to see it all would require at least a week. For those of you who are interested in visiting Capri, my biggest piece of advise is to climb to the top of the island and explore the beautiful scenery, then cool off as you walk down to the beach on the bottom of the mountain. 
If you'd like to know more about Capri, please follow this link:


http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g187783-Activities-Capri_Island_of_Capri_Campania.html

Singapore

Singapore is pretty much the world's capital for fun. It is one of the only cities in the world with strictly un-enforced laws. All that comes to mind when I think of Singapore is a crazy night filled with many different drinks, clubs, and people from all over the world. Singapore's culture also has a great deal of different foods from the United States which would make any meal time interesting. Did you know that people eat snakes and drink their venomous blood on a regular in Singapore? That is definitely something that I may not want to do everyday, but would totally be down to try if the opportunity presented itself. I hear that the shot of snake blood almost acts as a drug that increases the drinkers adrenaline - now that's a drink that puts some hair on your chest.

Here's a link by Time Magazine  that describes the top ten things to do in Singapore that tourists do NOT know about. http://www.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1845806_1845592_1845508,00.html

(My favorite was the botanic gardens)

Swiss Alps

The Swiss Alps have some of the most vigorous back-country snowboarding trails in the world. I would love to fly out to the Alps, ride a helicopter to the top of a mountain, and cruise the entire way down on my Burton Guru. Before I continue my rant, please let me explain something. On a snowboard, the more dangerous something appears to be, the more fun it actually is. It is an unwritten rule for all snowboarders. In my mind, nothing can be more fun on a snowboard than the back country of a huge mountain. The back country is a term used by skiers and snowboarders to describe areas of mountainous terrain that are not technically groomed to be trails, but simply snow covered areas which have been unaltered by human actions. 

The Swiss Alps are pretty much the utopian mountain chain for this type of snowboarding. The snow is so fresh, fluffy, and pure that is makes it almost irresistible for any experienced rider to pass up. 

Maybe when graduate and actually have time to fly out to Switzerland to snowboard, I'll actually get to experience the adrenaline of flying down the back country of a mountain and grabbing some huge air off a cliff. A week on the Swiss Alps would truly be memorable trip.

Milford Sound - New Zeland

Milford Sound New Zealand is a remarkable place. It is located just south of New Zealand and is protected as a national park. I want to visit this place so bad simply because of the breath taking landscapes. I am not really sure of any other place in the world which can maintain a natural pre-historic feel and still be part of the modern world. There is also an abundance of wildlife in the area, which would be really cool to see. 

Milford Sound has a few advantages over the other islands around New Zealand. Firstly, it is easily accessible from the mainland via roads or boats (it is only 16km away from the mainland). Secondly, the area is so beautiful that legends say that it was carved by a titanic mason, Tute Rakiwhanoa. I really want to experience the  panoramic view in person someday, hopefully it won't take me too long. Here's a link if you'd like to read more about Milford Sound: http://www.fiordland.org.nz/ABOUT-FIORDLAND/Milford-Sound.asp

Forte São Luiz - Niteroi - Rio de Janeiro

Forte São Luiz - Niteroi - Rio de Janeiro, a photo by **rickipanema** on Flickr.

Where to begin. This is Brazil! It is one of the largest countries in the world, filled with a ton of culture, wildlife, fun, and (my favorite) soccer. In Brazil, soccer is king - this makes it one of my top places to travel to in the future. Why? Because I love soccer and Brazil is also the site of the next FIFA World Cup in 2014. For those of you who do not follow soccer, the rest of the world gets together every four years to watch the best players compete for the title of world's best team. This leads to major economic gains for the host country. These gains are generated through the influx in tourism during a one month event. Countries will spend billions in order to host a World Cup. The important part about this is that a high percentage of revenue will be generated through celebration.

What will I do? I plan on attending the next World Cup in Brazil and cheer on my Italians as they play. Afterwards will be a series of slurred speech and staggered steps. I can not wait.

Sperlonga

italian coast, a photo by anscotto on Flickr.

We took this picture shortly after we had landed in Rome, Italy. We had decided to drive from Rome to Naples via the scenic coastal route. There were many eye opening sights, but this one place was special. It is the coast of Sperlonga, Italy. We decided to pull over and hang out for a bit before heading to our respective houses in off the coast of Naples. The water is so clear that you could see fish swimming from the top of the mountain - I couldn't resist snapping a photo. If you are ever around Rome, seize the opportunity to visit the beach of this beautiful coastline.